


The Nameless Crow

by lessiehanamoray



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Fairy Tale Elements, Gen, I really suck at Soft Goro, Implied/Referenced Suicide, M/M, Soft Goro Week 2020, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-15
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:54:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25286407
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lessiehanamoray/pseuds/lessiehanamoray
Summary: A nameless crow spies of Akira Kurusu, but he's not sure why the despicable man has asked him to complete this task. Written for the fairy tales and princes prompt for Soft Goro Week 2020, I tried to weave several fairy tale themes in this story. Definitely some spoilers for late-game.
Relationships: Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira, Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist
Comments: 20
Kudos: 76
Collections: Day 4: Fairy Tales and Princes





	1. Chapter 1

This is a story about a crow. There are many stories about crows, but this one is different. It’s not about the trickster bringing light into the world. And it’s not about dark omens, or creepy visitors in the night. Rather, this story is about a rather curious crow.

This crow needed to know everything. He needed to know why things worked the way they did. He needed to understand why other living things behaved the way they did. He was the sort of crow who insisted that information was only part of knowledge, that something had to be experienced for you to really know it.

This got the crow into lots of trouble. He ate food he didn't like. Food that sometimes even made him sick. He burnt himself trying to understand fire. And he interacted with people based on how interesting they were, not how good they were.

This behavior hurt the crow the most. He worked with a truly despicable human, one who wanted the crow to play omen of death. The despicable man asked the crow to fly in front of cars so drivers hit pedestrians. He forced the crow to take small objects and place them in other human's nests. Perhaps worst of all, he demanded the crow mimic him. Underlings were only met to parrot what their leader said, what their leader did, what their leader wanted.

And the crow did all of it. It felt good being needed. He liked having power over other people's lives, and he rather enjoyed spying.

Specifically, the despicable man had the crow spy on a very certain boy. He was a teenager, often seen wandering around in a grey sweatshirt. He kept his head low, but the crow could always find him. The crow didn't know why this boy was important. He just knew he had an annoying cat, one who made it hard to spy too close to the boy.

One afternoon, while the crow was watching the boy hang out with a girl in a park, the cat approached him.

"Crow, why do you watch us all the time?"

The crow looked at the cat, ready to fly the moment it even thought about pouncing.

"I do not watch you."

"Then why him?" The cat gestured at the boy with its tail.

The crow thought about all the shiny things the despicable man gave him for a job well done and replied, "There's something shiny about him."

"Shiny? He is very poor and does barely anything interesting."

"I find him very interesting."

"Why?"

The crow fluffed his feathers. "I told you. He is shiny."

"That's hardly a reason."

"Why do you follow him?"

"He's my pupil," the cat declared proudly.

"Your pupil? Is he a kitten?"

"He is not a kitten and I am not a cat!"

"But you walk on four legs, climb trees, and meow. What else but a cat could you be?"

"I'm a bona fide human."

"Humans can look like cats now?"

"You don't understand because you're just a stupid crow."

"I am not a stupid crow! I am a very smart crow."

"Really? Then prove it."

"Very well. I shall prove it. Just you watch."

"How?" The cat sat on his haunches, looking quite smug.

Or maybe cat faces were just made that way.

The crow looked away. The girl had a purse with her, and had set it down on a park bench. He could see her phone beside it.

"I shall use her phone."

"Don't you dare mess with Lady Ann!"

The crow flew off the branch, uncomfortable with the cat's suddenly aggressive posture and tone.

"How then, cat, shall I prove to you my intelligence?"

"Well, you're not doing it with her!"

This cat wasn't very bright, was he?

"Then shall I find something to bring to you?"

"That just proves you've got eyes."

"You are the sort of creature who offers problems rather than solutions, aren't you?"

"I am a human!"

"I think that would be far harder to prove than intelligence."

The cat looked around. "A ha! You, me, and a game of shogi."

"I do not know the rules of shogi."

"Then you must not be very smart." Did the cat actually cross its front paws?

The crow stared hard at the cat, circling slowly around the sky over the forest path. "You're bluffing."

"I am not bluffing."

"You do not know the rules either, and will just declare yourself the victor. What is the point then of calling for a game? Besides, you are not strong enough to make the rules."

"Not strong enough? That's it." The cat returned to its feet, preparing a pounce. "Come closer and say that."

"No wonder you doubt my intelligence. You think me a total idiot." The crow perched on a tree opposite the path.

"Get back here you stupid bird!"

The cat jumped.

The crow flew over its head with a cawing laugh. Laughter which only increased when the cat fell to the ground below.

"I do not think proving myself smarter than you proves much, cat!"

"I am not a cat!"

"Morgana?"

The boy! The crow continued circling, ceasing his laughter to listen intently.

"What happened?" The boy kneeled down to check on the cat.

"Nothing." The cat glared up at the crow, and the boy's gaze followed.

The crow darted into the trees, avoiding his gaze.

  
  


All things said and done, the crow was quite pleased with its interaction. Sure, things might be more difficult now that the cat was onto him, but they'd be more fun too. Spying hadn't been very interesting without a rival.

Unfortunately, the despicable man didn't seem to understand the difficulties. He grew very angry with the crow when he learned his spy had been discovered. The crow tried to ask him why it mattered so much. Why did this boy need to be spied upon?

The despicable man just called him stupid for not seeing it and told the crow that if he didn't bring some real information soon, he'd get his wings clipped.

But what information? The despicable man had never told the crow what he wanted to learn from the boy. The crow told him everything he saw, but it was never the right thing, and the man always urged him to get to the point.

How could he when he didn't know the point?

And so, for the first time, the crow told him exactly what he thought. He told him he wanted to help, but that he couldn't do it if the man didn't tell him what he wanted. The crow informed the man, in no uncertain terms, that he was a crow and not a parrot. That he was clever, and that he could complete his tasks far better if he knew the goal.

The despicable man sat silently through this tirade.

"Do you doubt me?"

The crow shuddered. The man shouldn't have stayed so calm. He tried to explain that he did not doubt this human. That he truly believed this was the strongest and fittest human he had ever known. That of course he should rule the other humans.

"Do you question me?"

"I simply wish to be as useful to you as I can be," the crow said sadly. The windows were closed. The door too. If the despicable man wanted to hurt him, he could. And he would.

"Are you lying?"

"Of course not!" the crow squawked.

Even as he spoke though, images flashed through his mind. Images of a human woman, taken from a perspective he did not understand. The crow reached out to her. Childish hands clasped hers. She said something then, soft and wonderful.

_ Goro. _

The crow staggered back. That word, that name, it felt right. "I had a name once."

"Crows don't need names."

The despicable man was smirking now. The crow felt his heart beat faster than it had ever beat before. Was this fear?

"I have always been a crow."

"That's right. Nothing else even makes sense."

The man smiled a twisted smile, but in his mind the bird saw the smile on a different face. On a younger face. On a boy not much older than the one he spied upon.

How his stomach hurt. Dream eyes looked down to see the gun the boy held, and further down to see blood gushing forth from a human stomach. From his stomach.

"I feel...queasy."

The despicable man stood.

"You just had to watch. That's all you needed to do."

"Why?" The crow stared up at the man, towering over his perch on the chair back.

"It's the only you're useful."

His despicable hand came up, holding a shiny knife.

With a squawk the crow hopped off the chair, taking to the wing.

"Your wings won't help you here." The man pulled out a far less shiny, and far deadlier, weapon.

"Why?"

"You said you want to be useful to me, as useful as possible. Unfortunately, it seems that even as a crow you are not nearly worth the hassle."

Even as a crow?

The man pointed his gun at the crow, the same one the crow had seen in his mind just moments ago.

No time to dwell on that now. He needed out, and he needed out a minute ago.

Him and his stupid beak. He knew better than to disagree with the despicable man, but for some reason he always wanted to talk to him. Always wanted to be with him.

A shot fired, just clipping the edges of his wing feathers.

"You didn't have to come back here, you stupid crow. It's a choice you made. I never had any intention of letting you survive."

"What do you mean?"

The crow's eyes darted around the room. He noted the small hole in the wall where the bullet had landed.

Maybe the window really was his best bet. At least then he'd be out in the city.

The crow wheeled around, wishing he were a hawk right about now.

"You chose this. You chose all of this. Your form and your place in the world. How hilarious that after showing your true colors you forget and have the audacity to return."

Return.

"I had a name once!"

The crow barreled past the man, slamming his talons against the window. If he could get it to unlatch then maybe?

He heard the man coming closer.

"It's pointless. You're nothing but trash. That's all the son of a whore ever is."

Something inside the crow snapped. He flung himself around, shoving off the window and into the man's face.

"Don't you ever diss my mother!"

"What the hell do you think you’re doing?"

The man fell back, arms flailing under the fury of scraping talons and beating wings.

"She did her best for me." The man's swatting arms threatened to push the crow back. "And that's more than you can say you ever did for anyone!"

The despicable man, Shido the crow suddenly remembered, fell to the floor. It may have been a victory, if it weren't for the carefully aimed gun.

The crow retreated for the window.

The gun fired.

Searing pain wracked the crow's left side and a small hole appeared in the window, a crack he could use.

The crow folded his wings tight around him, preparing for the dumbest dive imaginable.

Another shot fired. Another crack in the window.

The crow slammed into those cracks. Felt his brain shake before the window finally yielded.

He dove down low. He couldn't see well at night, but the Tokyo lights would have to do. The crow forced himself to keep flying then, even though his left wing barely moved.

He had to get somewhere safe. Or at least, somewhere quiet to bleed out. Only one place was guaranteed to be the latter, and possibly the former too.

  
  


Akira Kurusu hadn't expected anything different this morning. It was a Sunday morning like any other. He trundled downstairs to eat curry and watch the shopping network like he did every Sunday. He checked his phone for invites, and he snuck some coffee to Morgana.

Absolutely nothing unusual. He accepted Yusuke's invitation to an art gallery, sent a couple texts to other friends to let them know he had plans, and stepped out of Leblanc ready for a day of confidante building and listening to Yusuke gush over fine art.

He hadn't expected to see a little girl leaning over something right outside the shop, her mother looking down worriedly.

"You need to leave it alone, honey."

"But it's hurt."

"I know, honey. We'll stop the police box to tell them about it. I'm sure they'll take care of it."

The girl looked about ready to cry.

"What is it?"

Akira leaned down to glance over the girl's shoulder. A crow, one wing mangled and bleeding, lay in the road. He could see small shards of glass sticking out of feathers all over its body.

Morgana slipped out of his bag to take a closer look.

"No! Bad kitty!" The girl tried to hit him.

Morgana backed off, but still stared at the crow.

"Joker, that's..."

Akira looked over to him to indicate he was listening.

"That's the crow I was telling you about. The one who was following you."

With a nod, Akira moved to kneel by the crow. He smiled at the girl. "It's okay. I'll take care of him."

"Huh?"

Hmm, something to pick it up with. Akira reached his hands into his pockets. A leather glove greeted his touch.

Akira blinked in surprise. Hadn't he put Akechi's glove in a drawer? He didn't want to think about it. About his friend pointing a gun at him. He looked back at the injured crow. Maybe helping it with this glove was appropriate.

Gently, trying to move the crow as little as possible, he lifted the crow. He used his gloved hand to support the bleeding wing.

"Boss isn't going to like this."

"I know," Akira murmured.

He slowly turned back to the cafe.

At the door, he glanced back at the girls' mom. "Mind opening the door for me?"

"Oh, of course!" She rushed forward to open Leblanc's door.

Sojiro looked up, "Welco-"

"Sorry," Akira muttered. "Could you get me some towels and warm water?"

"Huh? Yeah."

Akira smiled his thanks, slowly trundling up the stairs. Morgana raced ahead to shove Akira's laptop against the back of the desk. Akira gently set the crow down in the clear space before helping properly clear things off.

Sojiro came up fairly quickly with some towels and a kettle of hot water. He set the kettle on one towel and handed the rest to Akira.

"You know what you're doing?"

"Not really." Akira stared at the crow. "I need to get the glass out."

"Glass?"

Akira nodded. Sojiro took a closer look.

"How'd a crow get glass all over it?"

"I don't know."

"Hmm." Sojiro stared at the battered wing. He carefully lifted it up, feeling around for the source of the blood.

"Your hands?"

"I can wash them," Sojiro muttered. He seemed to find something then, and Akira saw his eyes widen just slightly. "Akira." 

His voice had dropped, and he sounded upset.

"What is it?"

"A bullet wound."

Now Akira's eyes widened. "A bullet wound? In Tokyo?"

Sojiro nodded. "No doubt about it. Seems to have gone clear through. I could probably stick a finger through it."

"Who would do that?"

Sojiro shook his head, standing back up. "We'll need bandages."

"Tae should have some."

"Tae?"

Right. He’d forgotten not to call her Tae around someone else. "Dr. Takemi. I'm sure she'd give us some."

"Alright. I'll tell Futaba to grab some. You start cleaning this bird up. And Akira?"

"I know. It probably won't make it anyway." He’d taken care of plenty of injured animals as a kid, and they rarely survived.

Sojiro nodded.

"I still have to try." Akira poured some water on a towel. "It doesn't have any chance if I don't."

"You're a good kid."

Akira didn't pay Sojiro any mind as the boss went back downstairs. Slowly. Carefully. With all the proficiency he had mastered from being a phantom thief, he began picking glass out of the crow's feathers.

The crow opened his eyes to an oddly familiar ceiling. He knew this place. Had been here before. But for the life of him he couldn't remember when or why.

"You're awake."

The crow tilted his head, he seemed to be laying on his back, to see the cat from the park.

"That's a miracle."

The crow looked around some more. The room was dark, so he couldn't see that well, but he could tell that his left wing was stretched out and bandaged. He had sore spots all over too, and his head felt funny too.

"Will you eat me?"

"What? No. Gross. I told you, I'm not a cat."

"You look like a cat."

"You look like a crow, but what kind of crow gets shot in the city? And follows a kid around? It's not like he ever gave you food."

"Where is he?"

"Talking with his friends downstairs. They're busy people, you know. And I should be down there too."

The cat turned around. "I'll tell Akira you’re awake. What do you eat?"

"I'm a crow."

"You sure about that?"

What?

"I don't mean to pry too much, but you don't seem like a crow to me. You're different, like I am." The cat shook his head. "Just because you're a crow now, doesn't mean you always were." With that, the cat jumped off the table.

Doesn't mean you always were, huh? The crow thought long and hard about this. Those weird flashbacks, with human hands and human stomach. The way that woman's face comforted him, and made him want to cry. He closed his eyes.

Akira.

It was a common name. Nothing special.

And Morgana? Ann Takamaki?

They all felt familiar to him, like the ceiling in this room.

He wanted to cry, but crows couldn't cry. So he screamed instead. He wailed.

Something important. Something essential. It had been stolen from him. He could feel that now. And the worst part was that he couldn't help but think that he'd stolen it from himself. That he'd somehow replaced who he used to be with..with this pathetic crow!

Footsteps pounded up the stairs.

"What's wrong?"

That voice. The voice of the boy he'd been spying on for weeks. He knew that voice so well, but it had never sounded like this.

Akira leaned over him. "Are you hurt? I mean. Where does it hurt?"

"Akira," the crow wailed.

"Huh? You can say my name."

The crow tried to calm himself, tried to just stare into Akira's face.

"Do you know my name?"

"Your name? Morgana thinks you were following me. Were you someone's pet?"

"I don't want to be. I'm done being his pet. Please, what's my name?"

Akira looked truly confused, eyebrows knitted together in utter confusion.

"I know you. I know this place. Why?"

"You talk really well for a crow."

"Joker!" the crow wailed.

Akira stepped back. His eyes were wide, like he'd just gotten slapped.

"Why do I know you? Why do I know you're Joker? Why do I know you're a phantom thief?"

A phantom thief. Shido had never told him he was following the leader of the Phantom Thieves, so why did he know that?

"Did you do it? Did you steal my heart? Did you steal my name? I want them back."

"Akira?" a female's voice called from downstairs. Haru Okumura. He didn't know why he knew that. He just did.

"It's fine," Akira called down. "He just wants to talk."

"To talk?" A different woman's voice. Makoto Niijima.

"Dude, what kind of crow did you find?" A boy this time. Ryuji Sakamato. Skull.

"I know all their names." The crow forced himself to sit, wing limply falling beside it. "So why don't I know mine?"

Akira slowly opened a drawer beneath the desk. He pulled out a black glove. It smelled very familiar, and not just because of Akira's scent.

He held it out so the crow could sniff it more carefully.

"Is that...me?"

"Akechi?"

"Akechi?" The crow mulled it over for a moment. It seemed familiar but, "I thought my name was Goro?"

Akira sat in the chair he kept by his desk. Water formed at the edges of his eyes. "Goro Akechi," he explained.

Oh, right. Humans had full names. The despicable man had been called Masayoshi Shido.

Masayoshi Shido. Goro Akechi. Akira..."Kurusu?"

Akira nodded. "That's my name."

"I'm...Goro Akechi."

Akira gaped like a fish then, mouth opening and closing, tongue shifting around his mouth in a desperate attempt to find words.

Yes. Goro Akechi. That felt right.

"Goro Akechi's been missing for almost a month now."

"No, he hasn't." The crow nodded thoughtfully. He knew now. Knew he was right. "He's me."

"How?"

"I don't know. The last thing I remember is...I was shot. I was shot by...me I think?"

"Where? When?"

"Hmm." It was hard to think with his head pounding like this. "I don't know, but it is the last memory I have as a human. As Goro Akechi."

"You're still Goro Akechi."

"You think so?"

Akira nodded. He held out the glove. "Where did I get this?"

The crow, Goro Akechi, stared at the glove for a moment. He'd given it to Akira, hadn't he? No. Not quite given.

"I don't think a duel would be very fair in this state."

Akira smiled, but water still pooled under his eyes. "See? It really is you."

"Yes. I tried to kill you, didn't I?"

Akira nodded.

"And then I failed, and...Yes. I moved up the timetable. I decided I had to take him out, before he realized. And then...then I shot myself?"

"A cognition?" offered Akira.

A cognition. Yes. That made sense.

"I think...he had a cognition of me."

"We've been infiltrating his palace."

"Really?"

Akira nodded. "He has traps that turn us into mice."

"Yes. He does, doesn't he? He thinks everyone's a mouse."

"I wonder if you turned into a crow to escape."

Goro tilted his head, hopping forward slightly.

Bad idea. That hurt beyond all language's ability to describe.

"Turned into a crow? No. Yes?" He shook his head. "Argh. I don't remember. I just remember being one of the crows near the Diet Building. It felt totally normal."

"Futaba might have ideas."

"I don't want to talk to her."

"Why not?"

"I tried to kill you!"

"So, we stopped you, and now you're an injured crow who needs help. She's the one who got those bandages for you, you know?"

"Would she have if she knew who I was?"

"I'm sure of it."

"Akira?"

"Yeah."

"I hate to ask this, but can you pick me up?"

"Are you sure?"

Goro nodded. "I...want to be human again. And I hate not knowing how this happened."

"I think it might be better to bring my friends up here."

"That's not why I want you to pick me up."

Akira slowly lifted Goro off the desk. Now much closer, and wrapped in Akira's scent, Goro felt he could say anything.

"I think I know the why at least."

"Why?"

"I wanted to live. I've never really wanted to live before." He pushed his beak against Akira's sweatshirt. "You did that. You gave me a reason to live. One that isn't vengeance. I think, when I realized you were alive, I decided it was better to put the vengeance behind me. Better to push forward. I want to be human again."

"You will be. Both you and Morgana."

"Still not convinced about him."

"Goro!"

"Sorry. Can I sleep with you tonight?"

"Of course."

"Thanks." Goro leaned against Akira and closed his eyes. This felt nice.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Phantom Thieves discuss their next step. Goro and Akira have a heart-to-heart chat.

Ryuji Sakamoto spoke slowly. "So..let me get this straight. That crow is Goro Akechi?"

How could someone be so intuitive and so stupid at once? Goro Akechi, perched on Akira's shoulder, glowered at the Phantom Thieves. They'd told Futaba about everything the night before, and had agreed to get everyone together again the next morning to explain in more detail.

More importantly, Akira's punk doctor friend had dropped by. While no vet, she'd gotten his wings set so he could stand and hop around without too much agony. Moving still hurt, but it was bearable now.

"He looks more like a pirate than you, Ryuji," Takamaki teased.

"I am not a parrot," Goro replied, before the fake blondie had even registered the insult.

Akira smiled sheepishly at his friends.

"Well, I think he's cute."

Count on Haru Okumura to somehow say both the sweetest and the meanest thing in one go.

"Indeed, to survive on via reincarnation. It's truly beautiful."

And count on Yusuke Kitagawa to make this even weirder.

"I didn't actually die."

Makoto Niijima sighed. "But you were mortally wounded, and in Shido's palace."

"That's not the same as dying."

"Okay, but why a crow?" Sakamato asked. "Like, really?"

"Heh-eh, that's easy."

And how exactly was it easy, shut-in genius?

"Really?"

Thank you, Okumura.

"Yeah. We're running with the theory that he changed because of cognition, right? Well, what was his code name again?"

He'd thought about this too, but the idea that the code name they had decided for him meant so much seemed laughable.

"Oh, so Crow turned into a crow. I get it now." Sakamoto seemed quite pleased with himself, but did he really get it?

"Yep.."

"Well, I don't understand it. How can a person change into an animal?"

And who invited Sae here in the first place?

"Hmm." Futaba placed her chin on her knees. "I don't really know the how, but I think the process is that he wanted to survive, needed a way out, and escaped as a crow."

That sounded about right.

"Once in reality, he couldn't change back."

Okay, but that didn't explain the memory loss.

"Then why'd he forget who he was?" Akira asked.

Thank goodness at least one of them had common sense.

"I think, maybe," Morgana piped up, "I think it's like me. I mean, changing into a crow is a pretty big identity shift. Maybe that's why I forgot too."

"So you were human once, and also had to flee something," Futaba mused. "Does that mean his answer is in the bottom of Mementos too?"

"Maybe?" Morgana shrugged.

How had they ever made it so far with him as their guide? Well, better than none he supposed.

"We don't have time for that," Goro cawed. He felt like someone was running his voice through some horrible filter every time he talked. "You lot have got to take Shido down first."

"We will," Takamaki promised.

"Really? And do you have your route secured yet? The election's in just a couple of days."

"We have a plan." Makoto spoke evenly, but he could hear the irritation in her voice. "One I'm not sure we should share with you."

"I don't care about that. Just convince me it will work."

"Listening to him is making it a lot easier to believe the cat talks too," Sojiro murmured from behind the counter.

Sae nodded.

"Don't worry about it." Futaba positively beamed. "We've got the calling card all ready, and yes, we do have a route."

"And you think you can take down his shadow?"

"We just need to get the treasure," Makoto hissed.

All heads turned towards her.

"We're not like you. We don't kill people. Even awful people. They'll face justice."

"Prison? Big improvement. I don't know if you conveniently forgot, but Shido's got a pretty big stake in the police and prison systems. And, for the record, he never ordered for them to drug Akira. They did that because they wanted to."

Makoto shot up out of her seat. "How dare you?"

"Face it. No matter how much you pay them, cops can always be bribed to look the other way. Getting them to hurt someone usually doesn't even take money."

"Goro," Akira whispered. "Not now."

Goro exhaled his irritation, shrinking his size back down to pre-fluff.

"It is truly incredible how large a crow can appear," Yusuke mused.

"That's what you got out of that?" Ann replied.

"Look." Goro sighed. "I know Shido better than anyone. I've explored his palace thoroughly, and I know what his treasure is. It won't be hard to carry out, but his shadow is...well...plus, he's still got the cognitive version of me."

Makoto sat back down. "What do you know about his shadow?"

"I know it's physically strong. Really strong. Shido truly believes that the strong should rule the weak, and that carries over. It looks like him too. As for his desires,they're pretty inline with the real him. He wants to rule, and he doesn't care who dies along the way."

"So, why do you want to take him down?"

Goro stared at Ryuji.

"I get that you do, and he's a total bastard, but you were working for him, right? Why'd he shoot you? Both palace you and crow you."

"I think he knows," Goro muttered, or as close to a mutter as a crow could manage.

"Knows what?" Ann pressed.

Those two were clearly a team.

"I first approached Shido for two reasons. One was because I knew he had a hand in cognitive psience, and I needed answers. The other was...I wanted to meet my dad."

"Your what now?" Ryuji’s eyes looked about ready to pop out of his thick skull.

Goro could see Sae stiffen to the side. Sojiro too.

"My dad." Damn, he hated saying that. "He let my mom suffer, and I hated him for it, but I wanted to meet him too. When I realized he was a politician, and that I had this kind of power, I planned to take him down. I wanted him to need me. The way my mom needed him. And then I wanted to destroy him. Like he destroyed her.”

"Destroy your father?" Haru whispered.

Goro couldn't even look at her. "Yeah. And I mean obliterate. No reputation. No hope. Just a life of misery. He's the one I wish prison time on."

Sae's voice cut through the murk in his mind. "What do you ultimately want to happen to him?"

"Does it matter?"

"I think I know what it is, and I need you to say it so they understand. It's what you expect to happen after they steal his heart anyway, isn't it?"

Goro pressed himself against Akira's head, enjoying the fluffy hair for a moment.

"I want him to die."

"You planned to kill him." Makoto's tone left no doubt as to her poor opinion of his decision, but she wasn't quite right.

"No." Goro nuzzled Akira's ear, whispering so only Akira could hear. "I planned for him to kill him."

Akira's entire body stiffened.

"I know it's awful, but it's what he did to my mom."

"What did he say?" Ryuji again.

Akira held up a hand to discourage them from speaking.

"I want to talk to Goro alone. Besides, we're stealing Shido’s heart no matter what. We all agreed to that."

"We can't let him take over Japan," Futaba murmured.

Nice to know she had her priorities straight at least.

Everyone nodded.

"Sae, be ready to intervene when it happens, just in case."

"Are you sure about this?"

"We have to take Shido down.” Ann spoke softly, but Goro could hear her steady determination.

"Yeah. His heart's more twisted than most," Ryuji added.

"Indeed. Whatever the consequences for him or Japan, this can't be allowed to continue," Makoto admitted.

"He is a stain on this country," Yusuke agreed.

Haru looked at Goro. "I will never forgive you for killing my father."

Goro trembled slightly.

"But I hate him even more for asking you to do it in the first place."

Goro peeked out from Akira's hair. "I know I can't fix things, but thank you. I'll find some way to make it up to you."

"There isn't one." Haru stood. "Just, don't betray us, and don't kill anyone else."

Goro hopped off of Akira's shoulder, slowly moving across the table to look up at Haru.

"I'm not sure I can promise not to kill anyone. I don't have any plans but..." he held out a wing, cringing slightly as he did, "I swear not to betray you. You or anyone here. Right now, I just want to see this through. And to be human again."

Being human again as honestly an afterthought.

Haru gently touched his wing, brushing her hand against his black feathers.

"It shouldn't be that hard not to kill people."

"Then prove to me your way works. Prove to me you can change Shido's heart, and see him properly punished for everything he's done. If you can do that, then maybe I really can promise never to kill again."

Haru loosely clasped his wing.

"It's a deal."

"Thank you, Ms. Okumura, for the chance."

He could feel her hand shaking. It actually hurt quite a bit, but she held on for a good long moment anyway.

"You've promised."

"And I mean it."

Haru let go. With a slight bow, she left Leblanc. Everyone else followed soon after. Sae and Makoto left last, Sae giving Goro a concerned look before she closed the door.

"We need to talk."

"Yeah."

Akira held out his hand. Goro hopped on, taking the lift to Akira's shoulder.

"You two going to talk?" Futaba asked.

Akira nodded. "I think he'll be honest if it's just him and me."

"Hmm, okay then." She grabbed Morgana. "Come back safe."

"You've got the key, right?"

"Yeah."

"Good." Sojiro moved into Leblanc's small cooking space.

"Come on."

Goro rode on Akira's shoulder, wondering exactly how this would go.

  
  


Akira set Goro down on some climbing bars, placing him so they could talk at eye level.

"Did you mean it?"

"Mean what?"

"Your promise to Haru?"

"Of course I did. I don't make promises lightly, you know."

"I do know."

"Then you know I mean what I said about Shido too."

"Yeah." Akira sat down, still keeping his head lined up with Goro's. "I was shocked when you told me about your mother, but knowing who the father is, it all makes a lot of sense. Given how I met Shido, he clearly doesn't have a high opinion of women."

"He doesn't have a high opinion of anyone. He just happens to want to fuck women."

"You really wanted him to care about you, didn't you?"

"Of course I did." Goro looked up to the night sky, barely visible through the city lights. "But it wouldn't have changed anything."

"Why not?"

"Because you care about me more."

Akira looked at the sky as well. "You think so?"

"You care about everyone more."

"I care about you more than average."

"Why?"

Akira shrugged. "Don't know."

"That's a lame answer."

"Well, it's true. Maybe I feel sorry for you? But I don't think I do. You're a murderer, and at some point, you chose that."

"Yeah. I did."

"But you're hurting too. Guess I can't stand to see anyone hurt."

"But I'm a murderer."

"You've also been terribly wronged. I know what you did was wrong, but I get it. When we first agreed to steal Kamoshida's heart, we did that knowing we could kill him. And I was okay with it. I mean, immediately okay with it. If someone had asked me to straight-up kill him, of course I would have said no, but that I might? No problem."

Akira took a deep breath. "I never forget it. Never forget that one misstep, one attack too many, and we kill them. And I'm okay with it. Every time."

"I don't like targeting the people around them. The train driver? I hated that. I would much rather go after the truly despicable."

"I know."

"But I do it anyway."

"We all make bad decisions."

"No. It's more than that. All my life, I've felt powerless. It was so bad that my mother always taught me to never fight back. If kids bullied me? Well, I just had to let them hit me. I never could listen to that advice."

"It's hard to imagine you just letting someone take you out."

"It caused problems though. I think deep down, I was just happy to be the bully for a change. These people, these shadows, they couldn't really fight back and once you kill someone, you realize how easy it is. How fragile they are. You control their destiny."

"No one should control someone's else's future."

"You say that, but you change their futures, don't you?"

"Change? Yes. Control? No. We change their hearts. What happens next is ultimately up to them."

"Some would view it as brainwashing."

"I guess. I think of it more like...forcing them to stare into a mirror." He tilted his head to look at Goro. "You're my mirror."

Goro looked at Akira in turn. "Really?"

Akira nodded. "As both a detective and a murderer. I get what you mean about enforcing our own sense of justice on others, and I get your anger. I was so confused when the cops arrested me, back when I first met Shido. It hurt. And it hurt more when my parents just went along with it. They never doubted I hit the man. The best they ever said was that I must have misunderstood the situation. It hurt so much. If it weren't for my sister and my grandmother, I don't know what would have happened."

"Parents suck."

"They're usually fine."

"They hurt you."

"So did you."

"Sorry."

"You mean it?"

"Not the literal wounds. I'm still mad I didn't take you out in that duel."

Akira chuckled. "Next time, we'll have to go all-out."

"I'm not sure I want you to see that side of me."

"I want to see all sides of you."

"No. You really don't."

"How much worse can it be than the way you looked when you thought you were shooting me in the face?"

"Shockingly worse."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Huh." Akira looked back up at the sky.

Goro followed suit.

"You know what though?"

"Hmm?"

"You should see it. The real me. You should see it."

"I can wait."

"For what?"

"For when you're ready."

"If I'm your mirror, you're really not going to like it."

"I like my mirrors honest."

"You must hate me then."

"Nope."

"Hypocrite."

"Probably."

"Keh," Goro chuckled slightly. "You really are interesting."

"So are you. More than you give yourself credit for."

Really? Well, Goro supposed he was glad to be of service at least. Besides, the fact Akira found him interesting too made his heart feel a little bit warmer, like the ice was melting away.

"Akira?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you. You saved my life."

"It was the right thing to do."

"Maybe, but you didn't have to. And you don't have to work so hard to save me again."

"Yeah I do."

"You really do, don't you?"

"You're in pain. And I will make it go away."

You already have. More than you'll ever realize.

The two stared up at the sky and the city lights for a long time.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time to go after Shido.

Well, at least in the metaverse he could fly again. Goro Akechi spent most of his time on Joker's head, but his hearing and knowledge of Shido's Palace was proving quite handy. The calling card had gone out, and it was now or never.

The Palace was on high alert. A row of guards protected the entrance to the treasure room. At the front of those mooks, stood cognitive Goro Akechi. He looked just like Goro always had. Uniform neat, hair tidy.

Goro had never realized just how artificial he really looked. Then again, Shido's cognition of him felt even more artificial than any human ever could. Looking at it now, Crow could tell cognitive him had glass eyes and fake hair. A well-crafted doll moving just as its owner wanted too.

"Annihilate it," he whispered to Joker.

"You sure?" Joker glanced behind him, to the rest of the Phantom Thieves. They'd fought cognitions before, knew you could go all out, but the idea of doing it in front of the person it represented stung. It wasn't robotic like Haru's had been either. It actually looked real.

Haru slunk forward, gripping her ax tightly in both hands. "Mind if I lead this one, Joker?"

"Oh, I want in too." Queen pressed a fist against her palm.

"This is gonna be good," Oracle muttered.

Oh. Joker suddenly wondered if he was the only person conflicted over the idea of beating up someone who looked like Goro Akechi.

"We should pick one group to fight here while the other goes for the treasure," Mona cautioned.

Crow nodded. "The less warning Shido has the better."

Queen and Noir glance at each other, and then at Joker. 

"Not just you two. Mona, go with them. I'll need Oracle."

Mona nodded his understanding. "You ready you two?"

Noir pulled out her gun. "Oh yeah."

One explosion later and the Phantom Thieves were running. Joker, Skull, Fox, Panther, Oracle, and Crow ran for the doors. A whirlwind from Mona and the bright light of Queen's attacks provided cover.

Crow watched the cognitive version of himself put on the smile he'd learned from Shido. It stepped forward, one side of its plastic face smoldering.

He was suddenly quite glad that wasn't the real him and hoped Noir and Queen could vent their frustrations on the fake him.

He did not want to be in the middle of that.

The Phantom Thieves burst through the giant doors.

Shido sat on the edge of one of the desks, his treasure glowing beside him.

"So, you really came to try and stop me?"

Crow could feel his feathers puffing. He had already known how closely Shido's shadow matched the real one, but it still felt disturbing. Still made his wing hurt.

He took to the air.

"We're taking you down!" Skull announced.

"You are a stain upon this land," Fox added.

Panther cracked her whip.

Personally speaking, Crow found that much more effective than words.

Swooping past Oracle he could see her already collecting data. Good girl.

"You really think a bunch of kids can stop me?" Shido stared at Crow as he spoke, practically ignoring the others. "You should have just died. I'll be sure to address your mistake."

"I want to live."

"You don't deserve it."

So what if he didn't deserve it? He knew that already, had known that ever since his mother died.

Joker stepped forward. "You're done."

Shido's shadow transformed.

Oracle shouted out. "Here it comes!"

The fight began. Crow did his best to help Oracle keep track of things, how many buffs and debuffs had been cast, what elements worked best, and where Shido's next attack was coming from.

That was where he really shined. His aerial view gave him a wholly different perspective, and it allowed Oracle to focus down on data.

Sometimes, he even risked a low swoop to give one of the thieves an advantage on their swing. Panther's weapon seemed to sometimes slow him. Fox hit the hardest. Skull's electricity offered brief distractions.

And Joker. Joker was beautiful as always. Crow loved watching him fight. The flurry of personas and attacks. The quick shift from offense to defense. Without Mona in the group, he was primarily handling the healing, but every once in a while he launched a sudden, and devastating, attack.

Crow could feel his anger. Could feel that, just like him, this fight with Shido was the culmination of everything before.

And then, something went wrong. Terribly wrong. In one massive attack, Shido separated Joker from the others.

Crow wheeled in the air to stay with Joker.

"You okay?"

"Yeah."

"Goro," the massive shadow hissed, "you're disobeying me again."

Crow could feel the power building. Something besides Shido's bulging muscles.

"Get ready!"

Joker held up well to the physical attacks. On Crow's advice, he'd made sure to bring a persona with strong physical affinity, rendering Shido's attacks mostly ineffective.

Still, Crow could feel something building. Something was wrong. Shido had something else up his sleeves.

Well, definitely not literally. Man, muscle heads were ugly.

Shido launched a series of vicious punches Joker's way. Joker dodged several of them, with the few strikes looking more irritating than actually painful.

And then...

Crow's eyes widened.

Bright light gleamed from Shido's off-hand.

The next punch wasn't going to be a straight punch.

Crow dove for it.

There was no way Akira could dodge.

Black feathers flew, a caw of agony sounding through the room.

Crow slammed against the back wall. His bone's cracked with the impact. He may as well have been a delicate pot for all his body felt like it shattered.

"Crow!"

He wasn't sure who had screamed.

"Goro!"

Ah, that one was Joker.

He slowly flopped down the wall, landing with a new thud on the floor.

"How dare you! He's your son!"

Idiot. Crow could tell Shido responded, but the world felt way too hazy to make out the words.

He just hoped Joker could get the bastard before he charged up another attack like that.

The world went black.

  
  
  
  


"Crow? Come on. Goro?"

He was leaning against something warm. He could tell that much.

"Is he going to make it?"

One of the girls, but right now he couldn't tell who.

"I don't know if he'll make it."

Morgana.

"He has to."

Akira.

Goro forced his eyes open. Everything hurt, his whole body one giant bruise beneath black feathers.

"Craw?"

Something shifted him. He looked up into Akira's tear-streaked face. Morgana and Ann leaned over him too. He was vaguely aware of the other phantom thieves hovering over Akira.

Ah, so Akira was holding him.

"Goro."

"Thank goodness."

Was that...Makoto?

"I hate to say it, but we need to get out of here."

Did they do it?

"Are you okay if I move?"

Goro did his best to lean into Akira.

"Let us depart then."

  
  


The thieves separated in the night. Akira draped his blazer over Goro's crow body to hide him on the trains. 

It felt nice. 

Akira and Futaba split ways at Leblanc, and Goro vaguely registered that Morgana left with Futaba.

Akira slowly carried him up the stairs.

Goro felt the cushion of a pillow beneath him.

Akira moved away.

"Don't go."

"I was just gonna sleep on the couch."

"Don't."

Akira sat on the bed, staring down at Goro. 

"I had hoped you'd change back in the metaverse."

"Me too."

"We should see the effects of Shido's change of heart soon."

"I hope so."

"Thank you, for taking that hit for me. I probably would have made it through, but I don't think I could have finished the fight after that."

"Did he do it again?"

"He did," Akira confirmed, "but I knew to dodge, and Futaba knew how to tell it was charging."

"Good."

"You don't sound good."

"I don't feel good. Everything hurts."

"I wish I could help you."

You already have. Goro closed his eyes. If he could just make it long enough to see Shido get arrested, that would be enough.

"Goro?"

Warm breath.

"Goro!"

He was too tired to open his eyes.

Silence fell over the world.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's been almost a week since Shido's Palace, but wait, what's this?

Akira Kurusu checked Goro's breathing the moment he got home. Several of his friends had contacted him about spending Christmas Eve with them, but none of that mattered right now.

Morgana was gone. He didn't want to lose Goro too.

"Akira!” Sojiro called up. “I sent Futaba out to get some food."

"Okay!" Akira called back down. Sojiro and Futaba insisted on a Christmas dinner now, but how could he celebrate if Goro wasn't breathing?

It had been a week, and Goro wasn’t getting any better.

His breathing was so light. Akira couldn't even feel it, and had to hold his glasses over Goro's mouth to see the tiniest bit of fog on the lenses.

"Don't die. Please."

He gently stroked Goro's feathers.

"We're going to have a Christmas dinner. Futaba's looking for a turkey. I don't know if she'll find one, but...I want you there."

He leaned over Goro.

"I can't lose you too."

Something soft touched Goro's beak.

He forced his eyes open, forced his vision to focus.

Akira's face was so close. He wanted to reach out and touch it, but his wings refused to move.

He opened his beak. If he couldn't reach out, then could he at least return the gentle kiss?

A tongue slipped through Akira's parted lips.

His eyes shot open. Goro's face was practically against his own.

His face?

Akira stumbled back.

"Goro?"

"Hmm?"

"You..." Dammit. What good were words at a time like this?

  
  


Goro looked around. Why had Akira jumped back like that? Hadn't he been the one to initiate the kiss?

Wait. Kiss?

Goro forced a wing to his face. He felt his fingers brush against his thin lips.

He bolted up in Akira's bed. Or, tried to at least. A wave of pain forced him back down.

He'd have to settle for staring at Akira.

"Don't go," he pleaded.

"You're...you're human again."

"Apparently."

Akira slowly approached the bed. "You..."

"Have you been crying?"

"You..every day, I worry you won't wake up, and then we went into Mementos and...and I don't think Morgana's ever coming back and..."

Akira knelt beside the bed.

"I couldn't bear the thought of losing you too."

"Well, everything hurts, but I don't think anything's broken."

"One of your wings..." Akira touched Goro's hand. "It was all twisted up."

Goro slowly lifted his arms. They hurt, but he could move them.

"Guess it didn't carry over. Help me sit up."

Akira nodded. He placed an arm under Goro's back, lifting him up so he could sit with his back against the wall.

Akira sat beside him.

"Now what?"

"Did you mean that kiss?"

Akira buried his face in his knees, but Goro caught the slight nod.

"Want to do it again?"

Akira curled up tighter, but still nodded.

"I can't kiss you if you're hiding your face."

"How? How'd you turn back?"

"Well, usually in fairy tales..." Goro's voice trailed off. Usually in fairy tales huh? "True love's kiss," he muttered. What a thought.

Akira tilted his head to look at him. "True love?" 

Goro smiled back. It was stupid as anything, but..."Yeah. True love."

"You love me?"

"Akira Kurusu, I have lusted after you since the moment I saw you. And I have loved you since our first game of pool."

"That long?"

"It's only been a few months."

"But you loved me and you still..."

Now Goro slumped, though he was far too sore to curl up properly. 

"I'm an idiot."

Akira shook his head. "Even after the interrogation room, I couldn't hate you. I don't know why. I just couldn't."

He straightened, though Goro could tell Akira had to force himself to look him in the eyes.

"I love you."

"I love you too," Goro murmured.

He forced himself to shift. He wanted to face Akira directly.

Instead he sort of tumbled. Akira caught him. They landed on the floor with a thud.

Goro Akechi kissed Akira Kurusu. It was long and deep, a kiss practiced in dreams and against pillows.

When he released the kiss, he leaned against Akira's shoulder.

"I was so scared. Scared of loving you. Scared of what Shido would do if I didn't do my job. Scared of failing. When I realized you were alive, I couldn't decide if I was thrilled or furious."

"And you went into his palace alone," Akira surmised.

"I knew he wouldn't accept failure, so I decided to move the time table up. Heh. That didn't go well."

"You could have come to use for help."

"After trying to kill you? I couldn't face you."

Akira wrapped his arms around Goro.

"I'm not sure I could have faced you anyway," Goro continued. "I've never loved someone before. Not like this."

"Goro?"

"Hmm?"

"I love you. I mean it."

Goro kissed him again. This time though, Akira was ready and responded in kind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter is a sort of Royal Epilogue. So, if you only know Vanilla, you might want to stop here. Alternatively, continue on to see what happens after the events of the third semester.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The post-Royal extra epilogue. This assumes that the previous chapter happened, the events of Royal occurred basically as in-game, and then we come to here.

Akira Kurusu leaned against the tree. It was cold out, but time in the yard was the only real chance for fresh air he had, so he used it. A carefully monitored soccer game played out in the field just a little bit away.

It felt strange. He'd been in school until just recently, but he'd been in juvie for almost two months now. His mind was having a hard time reconciling it.

Still, Sae had told him his friends were fighting for him. They were all doing everything they could to get him out, and the case against Shido was proceeding.

Their dreams were coming true. By their own power.

Well, some of their dreams. Maruki had said he expected Goro to die. That the kiss which had restored Goro to his human form had been his power, and that as a crow the injuries almost certainly would have ended his life.

With a sigh, Akira glanced up at the branches above him. You could see crows up there sometimes, hoping for a scrap of food.

He kept hoping one of them would look down at him with Goro’s cognac eyes.

Today, he saw only one crow on the branch.

"All alone today, huh?"

"Not really," the crow replied in an all too familiar voice.

Akira's eyes widened.

"Goro?"

The crow hopped down to the ground, using its wings to slow the descent. 

"Know any other crows this eloquent?"

"You're alive."

Goro hopped around a bit, shifting position so Akira and the tree covered him from the wardens.

"Somehow."

"It's good to see you."

"You too." Goro looked up at the detention center. "No good deed goes unpunished, huh?"

"It's worth it to make sure Shido's case goes through."

"Well, that's true." Goro looked up at him, cognac eyes gleaming. "Your friends are working hard to get you out."

"Yeah. Sae told me."

"Don't think I'd be a very good character witness."

"Who doesn't trust a crow?"

"Who trusts a detective?"

Goro let out a rough laugh.

"Crow laughter sounds really weird."

"Yeah. I know."

"How long have you been back?"

"I don't know. It just feels like I've always been like this. I remember everything that happened with Maruki, but it all feels like a dream."

"Do we feel like a dream?"

"No. That part feels very real, but...Akira, can you love a crow?"

"I'll love you no matter what form you take," Akira assured him.

"Thank you. That means a lot."

"Think you can visit me again?"

"I plan to."

"Alright, everyone in!" one of the wardens called across the field.

Akira stood up. Goro had already flown away by the time he looked back.

  
  
  


**The eve before departure.**

  
  


Akira held the key Lavenza had given him in one hand and the wishing star from Jose in the other. He glanced across the room, to the crow sleeping soundly on one of his pillows.

He'd manage to talk Ann into letting Morgana spend the night with her. This was likely his last chance to talk privately with Goro for a long time.

And he had an idea.

The key opened the way to the Velvet Room. Lavenza had described it as a piece of the Velvet Room, forming a connection between the literal space and the mental space.

If that was true, then it was fundamentally a key between reality and the metaverse. A little piece of the other world, sort of like Morgana.

He looked at the wishing star. It had just the tiniest bit of light to it, a minuscule spark flickering within the confines of reality.

Akira took both key and star, pressing them tight against his heart.

"Please," he muttered, "just this one thing. Just this one last wish."

The star glowed brighter for just a moment, light dancing between his fingers. Then, nothing.

The star was gone. Not even a shell remained.

Akira looked at the key. Nothing seemed different about it. He clutched it tightly enough that it left an imprint in his hand.

He took a deep breath. Lavenza had placed a chord on the key at his request, and he knew exactly where he wanted to keep it.

Akira strode confidently to the sleeping crow. In one fluid motion, he dropped the chord over the bird's small head.

The key glowed softly. A gentle blue glimmered forth, spreading and taking form across the crow’s body.

Goro Akechi, human Goro Akechi, slept soundly in Akira's bed.

He opened his eyes, turning to regard Akira.

"Wha-"

Akira kissed him, practically slamming his face into Goro's.

"What happened?"

"A gift from Lavenza." Akira sat down on the edge of his small bed.

Goro touched the key hanging down from his neck.

"It's a key to the Velvet Room," Akira explained. "A piece of the metaverse. I used the last of the power in Jose's wishing star."

"And you wished for this?"

"I knew there wasn't enough to wish you back as a human." Akira smiled at Goro. "I hoped there was enough for this."

Goro smirked. "You turned it into a key item."

"You were always human. You think of yourself as human. I hoped that with a bit of the metaverse, you could make that true again."

Goro slipped off the key. No fanfare, nothing, just a crow on a bed.

"I see. Hardly a permanent solution."

"No, but it allows us to kiss. And go on dates. And..." Akira blushed slightly, "maybe other things too. It's not permanent, but if you went to live a normal life now, you can."

Goro grabbed the key in his beak and shoved his neck through the chord.

Human Goro sat on the bed beside Akira.

"Thank you."

"So, what now?"

"I still want to go with you."

"You sure?"

Goro nodded. "I'm happy when I'm with you." He fiddled with the key around his neck. "Whether I'm a human or not."

"I don't know how my parents will feel about my boyfriend moving in."

"They don't have to know."

"You okay with that? With living mostly as a crow?"

Goro placed a hand on Akira"s. "If it's how I can be with you, then it's fine."

Akira turned slightly. "We'll get through this, together."

Goro leaned in and kissed him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's it! Not an entirely happily ever after solution, but I think it's pretty close. They can find happiness in each other now, and it nicely sidelines the whole "what would actually happen to Goro?" problem. He's a crow. What you going to do?
> 
> Please, leave a review and check out my other work if you liked this. Kudos are nice, but reviews mentioning your favorite parts of the story or my writing feed my soul.


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